


Hermione's Letter

by Noventia



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Ginny Weasley Bashing, Hogwarts Express, Hogwarts Sixth Year, I Don't Even Know, Ron Weasley Bashing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-19
Updated: 2018-11-19
Packaged: 2019-08-25 18:04:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,136
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16665628
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Noventia/pseuds/Noventia
Summary: Hermione reads a letter from her mother on the Express. Harry reads it too.





	Hermione's Letter

**Author's Note:**

> I don't even know what this is to be honest. I found it on my laptop and I'm not sure when I wrote it or where to go with it. I like the tone of the writing, not sure why I was so bashy towards the Weasley's as I don't dislike either of them but all well. The Harry/Hermione pairing is mostly hinted towards. Let me know what you think xx

Hermione Granger sat in the last carriage on the Hogwarts Express, hoping that no one would enter the compartment before it left the station and she was free to cast whatever privacy charms she wanted to. A letter was clutched in her hand, and while this was not entirely unusual for her, the fact that it was in a Muggle envelope was.

  
Of course, it was well known that Hermione was a Muggle-Born; so perhaps it wasn’t as strange as a Pureblood holding a Muggle letter, but having it on the train, and unopened, was odd indeed. Hermione of course had a wonderful reason for having the letter, and really she only wanted the privacy charms so that she could read it in peace; something she enjoyed and barely got during the school year.

She glanced down at the letter, unfurling her hand slightly so that the handwriting on the front was legible; _to my darling daughter_ , it read. The writing was neat, slanted and slightly flowery; her mother’s writing. Of course she knew who it was from; after all it had been pressed into her hand on the platform, right before she had gotten on-to the train.

  
Hermione had never hesitated to read anything in her life; knowledge was knowledge, it always had been to her, there was nothing right or wrong or good or bad about it. Of course, nowadays she read things for slightly different reasons than she used to. At age ten, Hermione read as an escape from her lonely life, now at nearly sixteen she read for the benefit of her studies and her best friend Harry Potter. She had never thought she would read for an-yone’s benefit except her own, but then she met Harry and everything in her life had changed.

He really was the best friend she had ever had; he had saved her life when he had known absolutely nothing about her and that alone made him a pretty amazing person in her opinion. But then there were the other things he had done for her over the years she had known him; he had never called her a know it all or made fun of her for her study habits like everyone else, even her other best friend, had. Knowing that she had a shoulder to cry on whenever she needed one was comforting, she had spent many nights in the Common Room crying on Harry’s shoulder after a particularly bad fight with Ron.

Yes, Hermione knew she had found the best friend she would ever have in Harry Potter, and so when she had found out about the danger that plagued him, it was only natural that she would try and learn everything she could to help him. Everyone thought that she studied so hard to prove that she belonged at Hogwarts and that she was worthy of her magic, and once upon a time that had been true, but now she worked for Harry and no one else.

Hermione flushed as she recalled having a conversation with her mother over the summer, she had thought that she liked Harry, as in more than friends. Which was ridiculous really, Harry was far too special to her to ever be a romantic interest. Her mother hadn’t believed her of course. Not that she had really thought she would be able to convince her of the relationship she and Harry shared; she had never been able to convince her mother of any-thing in her life.

Glancing back down at the letter, she grimaced, knowing that she had to open it, the curiosity was eating her alive. With a deep breath, she drew her so called Gryffindor courage into a ball and broke the seal on the envelope in a quick, shaky movement. There was a small, folded piece of paper inside; Hermione was anxious as she unfolded it, her mother had never done something like this before, they had always been very upfront with each other about everything. With another deep breath, Hermione glanced down and began to read.

_My darling daughter,_   
_I do hope that you are reading this on the train dear, and that you haven’t drawn out the expense until you are alone in your dorm room. That would just totally ruin everything._   
_Well, I wanted to tell you that I want you to let loose this year, stop worrying about your grades so much, and don’t worry at all about what other people might think of you, I want you to have some fun._   
_You will be sixteen in a few weeks, and though this is going to sound strange coming from your mother, I want you to go out and find yourself a boyfriend and experiment. Find out what you like, and yes, I do mean sexually dear, and don’t be embarrassed._   
_I want you to show your inner goddess Hermione, I really do._   
_You can always write to me about anything, you know that, I love you dear,_   
_Your mother._

Hermione’s cheeks were flushed red, but having your mother tell you to go and lose your virginity would be quite an embarrassing shock to anyone. Hermione screamed as the compartment door slid open with a bang, revealing a sheepish looking Harry, his black hair was flying in every direction and his green eyes gleamed in amusement be-hind his glasses.

“Are you alright Hermione?” He was a pretty good actor really, if she hadn’t known him so well, she probably would have bought his little ploy. But, unfortunately for him, she did know him well.

“Fine thank you Harry, I know you’re just dying to laugh.” His face split into a massive grin then, no longer willing to hide from her now that she had him figured out.  
“What were you doing anyway?” the question made Hermione jump, and grip her mother’s letter tight in her hand. This of course wasn’t the best move, as it drew Harry’s attention to it immediately. He really was very observant.

“What’s that?” He peered curiously at her hand, and Hermione drew it further behind her, out of his line of sight.

“Nothing, just a letter from my mum.” Once again, Harry grinned at her.

“But you just saw her, and why were you blushing? You still are actually.” Hermione’s hands flew up to her face, once again on instinct, and realised too late that her move had allowed Harry the chance to reach forward and snatch the letter out of her hands.

Hermione stared at him, and his stupid grin, in despair. Though in reality, she would have told him about it soon anyway. Hermione watched Harry’s face as he read the letter; she could see his entire face practically oozing amusement.

“So, your mum wants you to give it up to some random guy?” Hermione choked on her own tongue.

“Harry!” Hermione was scandalised.

“What? That’s what it seems like to me.” Hermione huffed, because really, yes that was exactly what her mother was saying.

“Yes, well there is no reason to go around saying it like that.” Harry laughed at her, but it was a happy, accepting laugh, not the dry, derisive laugh many would give her. She would be lying if she said that she didn’t love this banter between them.

“So, any ideas?”

“Huh?” Hermione wasn’t particularly proud of her articulate response.

Harry laughed.

“For the guy you’re going to give it up to?”

Hermione frowned at him.

“Really Harry, there aren’t many boys in the whole of Hogwarts that I would ever consider letting near me like that, and I am sure that they wouldn’t want me.” Harry frowned at her, not that Hermione could see him, as she was too busy staring down at the letter, glaring at it really.

“Hermione,” She glanced up at him, startled by the soft tone he was using, “There aren’t many girls at Hogwarts prettier than you, in fact in my opinion you are the prettiest girl at Hogwarts. Any guy that doesn’t jump at the chance to be with you like that is an idiot.” He paused, as if thinking about his words, Hermione just stared. “But then again, any guy who was with you just for that would be at the other end of my wand, and my fist.” He smiled at her.

Hermione was speechless, no one had ever said anything so sweet, not directly at least. The moment was ruined when the door banged open again; this time admitting two red heads into the compartment. Ron and Ginny Wea-sley; Ron had been her friend as long as Harry had been, though not nearly as good of one, and Ginny was his younger sister and she wasn’t exactly friends with her, they got along alright though.

Ginny flounced into the compartment, sitting herself down on the seat next Harry; but really, she may as well have sat on him for all the distance she put between them. Hermione resisted the urge to roll her eyes, some girls. Thankfully Ron sat a much more respectable distance from her; in fact, he sat a whole seat away. Hermione felt the need to sigh in relief, though she daren’t do so aloud, Ron could be a little smelly sometimes, and he often had food somewhere on his person.

For the rest of the ride Hermione endured the awkward glances Ron made in her direction and attempted to read; though she couldn’t quite block out Ginny giggling at everything Harry said even when it wasn’t funny. It was almost repulsive how the girl was throwing herself onto him; the only thing that made it bearable was that Harry looked just as uncomfortable as she felt.

It was a few hours later when Hermione could no longer bear the abrasive sound of Ginny giggling at something completely normal; Harry had commented on the weather and how the first years would fare as they went across the lake. She shut her book with a snap, causing Ron to glance up at her from where he was stuffing his face with Cauldron Cakes, and Harry to look at her in blatant concern. Ginny merely tried to nuzzle him.

“I’m going to get changed.” Her tone was snippy, and she knew Harry would interrogate her about it later; he al-ways did. He always knew when something was upsetting her; though it had never been something relating to Harry before.

“Okay…Are you sure you’re alright?” Hermione almost grinned when she saw the scathing look that Ginny gave her over Harry’s shoulder. Clearly, she wasn’t impressed with the attention Harry was paying her.

“Fine, just need some air.” She decided against trying to tell him everything was fine, she knew that he already knew something was wrong. She also knew that she would more than likely be letting it all out to him later that night in the common room. She figured she may as well give him at least a slight heads up.

When he nodded without saying anything else, she knew he understood, and left the compartment without an-other word. She should have felt hurt that Ron hadn’t been concerned for her at all; but in reality, she would have been more surprised if he had been. Slowly, she made her way down the hall and towards the bathrooms to change into her uniform, which was in the expandable bag she always kept on her. She didn’t encounter anyone from her year, neatly sidestepping the first years running down the hall, for once not feeling the need to do her duty as a Prefect and tell them to stop.

The bathroom wasn’t occupied, so she stepped in and locked the door. For extra privacy, for girls were known to knock on the door and demand the girl inside to hurry up, she set a few simple privacy charms on the door to en-sure that no-one would interrupt her. Privacy ensured she slumped against the sinks, her mind running over eve-rything that had happened in the compartment and trying to determine when exactly she had become so sensitive to Ginny trying to get Harry’s attention. She knew it was her who was more aware of it, because Harry had been complaining to her about it since she had started at Hogwarts.

It was the why that was bugging her. It hadn’t bothered her last year; she knew this because on the train ride home last term she had sat across from him and laughed at the tormented faces he pulled behind Ginny and Ron’s backs. When had she decided that she didn’t like it when Ginny hung off him like an extra limb?

Sighing, Hermione splashed water on her face; deciding that it would be odd, and definitely noticed, if she didn’t return in her uniform, she quickly changed. She had grown over the summer, but hadn’t bothered with a new uni-form; her skirt was shorter and her shirt slightly tighter. It wasn’t so bad though; her skirt was still at least a few inches longer than Lavenders. She trudged back towards the compartment with feet that felt like they were filled with lead. Every step filled her with dread; she found herself unexplainably dreading the scene she would walk in on.

They were as she left them; Ron sat slumped against the window stuffing his face, though it was Chocolate Frogs now, and Ginny was still clinging to Harry like a vine. Harry though, was staring at the ceiling, his eyes were unfo-cused, and she nearly laughed when she realised what he was doing; he was meditating.

She knew that everything Ginny was saying, and likely whatever she had said since she had left earlier, had fallen on deaf ears. Inexplicably happy with this discovery, she was deliberately loud when she sat back down in her seat across from him. He jerked, and his head snapped down and he stared at her for nearly a full minute before com-prehension returned to his eyes; Ginny shrieked as she realised that he hadn’t been listening to her.

“Harry! Have you been listening to me at all!?” Honestly, Hermione hadn’t known that a human being could reach that pitch and was actually slightly in awe of Ginny; or would have been if the sound wasn’t so offensive to her ears.

“Sorry Ginny.” Harry didn’t elaborate, even when Ginny kept staring at him expectantly. “You okay Hermione?” Ginny went red faster than Harry could go on a broom.

“Is SHE okay?! She got CHANGED! Why wouldn’t she be okay? God Harry!” Hermione had to give Ginny credit for the rather spectacular exit she had just pulled off; though she was slightly more amused by the stupefied look on Harry’s face.

“She doesn’t honestly think I’m interested, does she?” He looked so bewildered that all Hermione could do was smile and shrug. Ron however finally found the need to say something.

“You mean you’re not?” The surprise in his voice was surprising to both Hermione and Harry.

“Well of course I’m not!”

“Why the bloody hell not, what’s wrong with my sister!?” Ron practically screamed at Harry. His face went red faster than Ginny’s had earlier.

“Nothing is wrong with her; I just don’t like her like that!” Harry wasn’t yelling, though his eyes were wide, full of surprise. “Ginny just isn’t my type.”

“What the hell does that mean?! She’s a GIRL! Do you like blokes or something?!” Hermione raised her eyebrows, and seeing the look on Harry’s face, a mix of anger and exasperation, she stepped in.

“Honestly Ronald, just because he doesn’t like Ginny doesn’t mean he’s gay. He just doesn’t like her, not every-one likes everyone else, especially not in a romantic way.”

“Thank you, Hermione! Once again you are the voice of reason.” He was mocking her, though the laughter she saw in his eyes told her that it wasn’t malicious, and so she smiled at him.

“Hermione just stay out of this okay? We don’t need you sticking your know-it-all nose into everything!” Hermione was surprised by the look Ron was giving her; it was a full-on glare. He had never spoken to her quite like that be-fore, never so angry or dismissive. Harry acted even before she had fully registered what Ron had said.

“You don’t talk to her like that!” The shock of seeing her best friend holding his knuckles, that were dusted with blood, with his other hand and towering over her other friend, who was sprawled on the floor, holding his nose was massive. She barely knew what was happening, the words he said kept replaying in her mind.

It was several minutes before the sounds of the compartment began to filter through her shock; and it took several more for her to realise that there weren’t many sounds at all. Looking around, she noticed that she and Harry were now the only ones in the compartment. Her confusion must have shown on her face, for Harry was quick to tell her what had happened.

“He left; said something about finding Ginny.” He was trying to be calm, but Hermione could see the traces of anger hiding in his eyes.

“It’s okay Harry; it’s nothing he hasn’t said before.” Ron had indeed said things like that before, though never with quite that amount of malice or this early in the year.

“We both know that that was different Hermione, besides, I’ve hit him for saying stuff like that before.” That was certainly news to her.

“You’ve what?!”

Harry rolled his eyes. “You’re my best friend Hermione; of course I’m going to defend you when someone says something stupid and untrue.” He sat back down on the seat opposite her. “I just usually do it where you can’t see; I know you typically dislike violence like that.” Well that was true.

“Typically?”

“Well yeah, I mean there was that time you punched Malfoy’s lights out!” Hermione flushed, remembering how she had lost her temper at the boy and slugged him right in the nose. Not one of her proudest moments in her opinion; Harry and Ron both disagreed. “Merlin that was brilliant, absolutely bloody brilliant.” Harry wiped his eyes as he tried to calm himself down.

“Yes well, I only tolerate violence when people deserve it Harry; and they hardly ever do.” He didn’t need to open his mouth for her to know that he disagreed.

“He totally deserved it Mione, he shouldn’t talk to you like that! Nobody should!” Hermione would be lying if she said that hearing him talk so passionately about her wasn’t flattering.

“Still…you shouldn’t hit people Harry.” She paused, considering. “Except Voldemort; feel free to knock the magic right out of him.” Harry’s surprised, and delighted, laugh was enough to bring a bright smile to her face.


End file.
